Well folks - almost 2 years have passed since I last posted anything in here. I have only the smallest of news to add. In September and October of 2015 I gave workshops on the Oz/Rosarium research. If anyone is interested in reading the transcripts of the October workshop, please write and request at rambutanmama@gmail.com (Yes, I started this account after moving to Malaysia and falling in love with its tropical fruits.) The transcripts are in WORD format as are the workshop handouts. Power Point slides and Internet website video-links are also part of the transcript package.
And thank you all who continue to show interest in this obscure site. I guess it has enough viewing traffic so that it is still available, despite my extremely limited postings.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Monday, April 7, 2014
Oz Quiz
Now that 2014 is firmly entrenched, the Oz media blitz is on for the movie's 75th anniversary. Here is a site where a person can find out which Oz character they most resemble. Have fun. http://www.zimbio.com/quiz/QdSoY4-agXS/Wizard+Oz+Character/result/phYhn6KHKcF
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Guiding story
We have a story that is guiding our lives. It is a blueprint composed before recorded time. It is a story that is ubiquitous. The blueprint is so foundational we are often quite unaware of its presence much less its influence. But it is there nevertheless, shaping our environment, directing our actions, even orchestrating our thoughts.
That a story should wield such influence in our lives rubs against our sense of individual will. It is as bad as believing we are completely controlled by our astrological sign. We often hate to be told such stuff, believing we have free choice and nothing, much less our birth-date or a storyline, can take control of our lives without our permission. We feel that should we learn of all the details of this controlling story, we would study it carefully and if some of it is not to our liking, we would simply change it.
However, the blueprint, or archetypal story, has remained basically unchanged for millenia. Across many cultures, adapting to new languages and mores, the story reaches through the centuries. It has been handed down through esoteric as well as orthodox means. It is the story of human conscious evolution. It is our story.
In many orthodox teachings, especially in the West, the entire story of our evolution has not been revealed to us overtly. However, the religions of India, the most influential being Hinduism and Buddhism, openly reveal the stages of understanding and experience. However the liberating religions of the West revealing many of these same stages have often been persecuted by controlling institutions. And so much of this knowledge, revealing the ways and means for the individual to 'know thyself', has been forced underground for centuries.
And yet even in the West, this philosophy, this love of an innate wisdom developed and nurtured through the ages, remains alive. Aldous Huxley termed this liberating knowledge perennial philosophy. In his research Huxley found strong links between esoteric and persecuted Western sects, such as Gnostics, and similar teachings found in the ancient texts, such as the Vedas of India. Yet nearly all the major teachings of the Gnostics had been lost to the general public for centuries. Even if an individual knew of the lost teachings, it was not until this past century that their curiosity could find avenues for further investigation. And yet, as Huxley noted, the perennial philosophy would re-emerge under the guise of one religious sect or another 'heretical' teaching throughout the centuries. How did such teachings remain alive much less survive unadulterated through centuries of persecution?
Scholars have posited that these foundational teachings traveled from the East to Europe. Even during Western Europe’s darkest period, however, trickles of information could still be found despite the fall of the Roman Empire. Yet before the rise of that same empire, teachings from India would pass freely, following trade routes. This ancient knowledge settled in regions bordering the Mediterranean, such as in the Nile’s delta in Egypt and later in Greece.
But even in these lands and during the Golden Age of Greek philosophy, persecution would haunt teachers who dared reveal too much of this liberating thought to others i.e. Socrates. The same held true during the final century of Roman rule. During the final period of emperor’s rule Christianity was made the official religion and the great influence of the mystery rites of Isis went by the wayside. But at this time there were more than 200 sects of various Christian teachings. In an effort to find order in the new religion of the empire, such sects as Gnostics and Coptics were labeled heretical and often outlawed.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, it would again be influence from the East to bring forth a small taste of liberation. Centuries after the fall of Rome, Persian wisdom, working from ancient Greek teachings, was allowed to influence orthodox teachings of the controlling Church. The knowledge of Greece's Aristotle and of the neo-platonic teachings of the Roman Empire went on to influence not only Europe's Middle Ages but its Renaissance as well.
Still it has been argued that despite near-total annihilation of these teachings during the earlier 'backward' centuries of Europe, a progress in human consciousness took place, albeit at a hardly discernible rate. What embers continued to burn in our conscious evolution? What kept them smoldering when trade routes were cut, when lines of philosophy were relentlessly persecuted and when all semblance of curiosity seemed destroyed?
What indeed. The saving of this precious knowledge demanded thinking beyond the official tenets of orthodox rule. Clearly persecution would not go away. Persecution was a primary means of retaining control. A similar situation is found in today's totalitarian regimes that round up and kill the intellectuals of the country they wish to control. Those who wanted to gain control or to keep control throughout the ages would be certain to kill those who they suspected of great knowledge. So in the repressive atmosphere of the West - and not only the Dark Ages of Europe - alternatives to direct and overt teaching of such knowledge had to be sought.
According to Huxley, one of the avenues of the great wisdom of perennial philosophy was the occult art of alchemy. Hidden beneath layers of gibberish formulas, behind multiple depictions of fanciful creatures and beyond writings found only in Latin- the language of the elite- alchemy kept this precious knowledge hidden. Only those who met the stringent demands made on adepts and other like-minded seekers were given its secrets.
But in the mid-16th century alchemy came out from centuries of secrecy and allowed some of its most precious secrets to be revealed. One of the most influential alchemical writings of that Renaissance period was The Rosarium Philosophorum, or Rosary of the Philosophers. The anonymously-written text was written in Latin. But the text also contained 21 woodcuts, sporting captions in the vernacular German and French. The woodcuts did not focus on depicting strange animals but instead held a series of human figures. In addition, there were innocuous receptacles and a fountain and creatures that could be found in orthodox symbology.
The texts and individual woodcuts were distributed in the large cities of Germany and France during the relatively-free period of post-Lutheran thought. Those city-dwellers curious enough to inquire as to the purpose of these woodcuts would have been told that they were to meditate on the images. The Church had earlier encouraged its followers to do similar meditations while praying the rosary. Yet meditations of the Rosarium woodcuts could provide keys to secret passageways holding alchemical secrets as well as other esoteric teachings.
The influence of the Rosarium's woodcuts waned in the centuries that followed Europe’s Renaissance as alchemy was discredited by the empiricism of the next four hundred years. No thinking man, it was posited, could take alchemy’s confusing passages and obtuse imagery as offering anything of value during Europe's Age of Reason. But four centuries after the Rosarium's images graced the doors and posts of European cities, a leader in science's newest discipline, psychology, found a place for the alchemical teachings.
Carl G. Jung had spent decades of his eminent career dedicated to the teachings of perennial philosophy. His interest was so great he would eventually write psychological commentary for the re-issuing of Evans-Wentz 1927 translation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. In following his interest in the avenues of what was later–coined perennial philosophy, Jung 'discovered' European alchemy early after his separation from Freud.
But Jung would wait until his later years to present his theories. The great psychologist believed in the integration of the psyche as the foundation to a fulfilled life. He used imagery and writings from both European and Asian alchemy to provide historical credibility for his theory.
In 1942, just shy of 400 years after its introduction, the Rosarium woodcuts were used as a centerpoint for Jung's theory. In Psychology of the Transference, Jung used the 1550 Rosarium woodcuts to posit that the feminine and masculine aspects of our psyches could and must be integrated for full mental health.
A possible strong reason for choosing the Rosarium's woodcuts becomes evident when the series of woodcuts is seen in its entirety. By viewing all 20 images found within the pages of the Rosarium text, as well as the woodcut of the title page, a repetitive pattern emerges.
The 1550 Rosarium text is sprinkled with warnings that its secrets should not fall into the hands of those not of pure heart. The small Latin text was laden with a goodly amount of gibberish so even those learned in the refined language might still be confused. Only those initiated in alchemy's methods could make sense of the odd notations.
Yet in one of the clearer passages found in Rosarium's text, alchemy reveals one of the precious methods used in conveying its’ secrets. Reiterating the need for supreme secrecy in guarding its’ valuable wisdom, the authors of the Rosarium note that ‘fables and parables' allow the secret wisdom to pass undetected. Was this true? Could the innocent settings and simple characters found in fantasy tales act as secret agents? Could homespun stories truly carry wisdom far beyond obvious moral platitudes?
With the possibility of liberating secrets hiding within simple stories springs a curiosity to delve deeper into those stories. We live in a wondrous time – a time filled with great potential. Perhaps delving into our favorite childhood stories will bring us great rewards, including a wondrous future.
Why The Wizard of Oz?
Of the thousands of fairy-tales from cultures all around the world why choose the 1939 movie version of Oz to study? Why not one of the famous Brother Grimm tales that have been influencing children for centuries? Why not Baum's original book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz? After all, that book and the Baum’s ensuing 14-volume series sparked the imagination of thousands of readers before the more-famous cinematic version was even considered.
But the 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz, has reached more than thousands. It is the top-ranking movie for viewings with more than 6 BILLION. And its ubiquitous nature filters into other avenues. During the past dozen years many movies have tipped their hats to Dorothy's story quoting lines directly or paraphrasing familiar lines to fit their storylines. Even before this onslaught of cinematic tributes, however, Oz found its way into literary classics such as Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five.
Dialogue and song from the movie have crept into everyday Americanese. The movie seems to have reached near-mythological status - at least in the U.S. Yet when a renowned author like Salman Rushdie credits Dorothy's cinematic story as the starting point of his literary efforts in his childhood India, it becomes clear that the classic movie crosses cultural lines. Perhaps it has reached mythological heights worldwide. It is still too early to judge.
Still other reasons arise as to why The Wizard of Oz makes such a fine example of the archetypal story. Like other blueprint-storylines i.e. The Odyssey, Dorothy's journey is episodic. An easy-to-follow delineation of lands and events, complete with sectioning-songs, fragments the story into 21 separate stages. And unlike other famous fairy-tales that often focus on attaining the physical security of the first third of our evolutionary journey of consciousness, the Kansas/Oz worlds map out the entire process. Plus Dorothy’s movie has all the makings of a classic fairy-tale. Children have, for generations, found it entertaining enough to demand multiple viewings. What good would a story be if it contained valuable secrets but no one cared to listen to it - if no one wanted to watch the movie?
Another important reason for using The Wizard of Oz as a map of our journey through conscious-awareness is the story's simplicity. Intricate maps of territories, both familiar and exotic, can become complicated. Symbols are used to explain a map. If these symbols which make up the map’s legend, were not clear the map would confuse its readers. How much use is there in a map that does not clarify? In the mapping of Dorothy's territories of 'remembrance', simple-to-identify symbols are used. Most of these icons come from various perennial philosophy teachings - Buddhist, Hindu and esoteric Christianity.
Dorothy’s story provides a user-friendly map. With symbolism that is simple and clear it provides a fine legend for a seemingly complex map of human consciousness. Ex. First 5 symbols in the famous story-map's legend:
These symbols are revealed in the first 5
chapters of the Rosarium/Oz book exploring perennial philosophy symbolism.
Three of these first five signposts - the pig, the rooster and the snake -
represent Tibetan Buddhist teachings re: poisons. These ‘poisons’ are
simplified as the sources of suffering – ignorance, desire and anger-
respectively. The creators of Dorothy’s cinematic story left 21 easily
identifiable signposts to help viewers navigate the archetypal map of their
conscious-evolution. A separate signpost will be explored in each of the book's
21 chapters.
Finally, any map worth its salt will leave a clear
impression, able to be brought back plainly to memory. This delightful movie
was a great Technicolor achievement in the early years
of cinematic history. But the classic film also incorporated the
memory-spurring technique of song. In this process of remembering our
innate wisdom, song- especially repetitive song- can bring from our depths
liberating secrets we have long kept buried.
Are there other stories better-equipped in detailing certain
parts of this map-making formula? Most definitely. But The Wizard of Oz
is not only wonderful in embracing all the necessary components of a fine map;
it is also my personal favorite fairy-tale. And as Carl Jung is purported to
have said, the favorite fairy-tale of our childhood, the one we asked to be
told time and again, will provide the blueprint for the rest of our life. What
other story would I study?
Chapter 1
We
are the beginning and first nature of metals
Art by us maketh the chief tincture.
There is no fountain nor water like unto me.
I heal and help both rich and poor.
But yet I am full of hurtful poisons.
Art by us maketh the chief tincture.
There is no fountain nor water like unto me.
I heal and help both rich and poor.
But yet I am full of hurtful poisons.
What is alchemy doing in an interpretation of a simple girl’s story? After all alchemy is a realm filled with secrecy. And its language, filled with riddles, abstruse instructions and outlandish symbolism comes nowhere close to being simple. Experts offer no help in deciphering alchemy’s rich imagery as they cannot agree whether alchemy is an art or a science. And in a layperson’s eyes alchemy runs from the workings of charlatans fleecing the next unsuspecting traveler, to magicians offering
wonders and mysteries, to sages imparting their knowledge to those with eyes to
see and ears to hear.
Sage wisdom does occur in Dorothy’s story but it is not delivered by huckster, Professor Marvel. In fact thanks to the poor light the traveling fortuneteller casts on his profession, alchemy seems far removed from explaining Dorothy and mapping her journey. Yet in chronicling the Kansas girl’s journey into new lands, neither the book nor the 1939 movie focus on Dorothy in their titles. Nor does the magical land she visits get top billing. Instead, the title character is a wizard despite his secondary standing throughout the story.
Sage wisdom does occur in Dorothy’s story but it is not delivered by huckster, Professor Marvel. In fact thanks to the poor light the traveling fortuneteller casts on his profession, alchemy seems far removed from explaining Dorothy and mapping her journey. Yet in chronicling the Kansas girl’s journey into new lands, neither the book nor the 1939 movie focus on Dorothy in their titles. Nor does the magical land she visits get top billing. Instead, the title character is a wizard despite his secondary standing throughout the story.
Or is he secondary? One of the most notable lines in the
movie, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” is delivered by the
exposed wizard. Indeed, all of Dorothy’s story seems to revolve around
the curtain. What is the relationship between Dorothy and this shape-shifting
wizard? What does the curtain represent?
In one wizard-producing art the workings behind the
curtain of form, of beliefs, of concepts – the very stuff of life, has
remained its main lesson for millenia. And in its secret teachings alchemists
learn to turn the most common of elements, physical as well as
metaphysical, into something valued and precious. What might result,
should an alchemist be successful in his quest, is the Philosopher Stone.
Indicative of many achievements, the Stone’s most notably known as the
achievement of immortality.
Alchemy and its goal of attaining the elusive Philosopher
Stone flowered in times of relative religious freedom found in 12th and 13th
century Christianity. Needing to do a disappearing act during the
centuries of the Inquisition, alchemy once again emerged during the Reformation
of 16th century Europe. The same doors that Luther tacked
his treatise upon now held depictions of woodcuts much like the ones found
in the arguably most-influential alchemy writing of the Renaissance, the
Rosarium Philosophorum.
The Rosarium's first woodcut (above) was not only tacked on posts and doorways in European cities but it was found in the first few pages of the alchemical text. The 16th century layperson probably could not read the Latin found in the text nor in the image of this first woodcut. But the woodcut’s captions were always printed in the vernacular be it German or French. The riddle facing the European townsperson took as much contemplation today as it did in the 16th century. Are there any clues found in that riddle-caption and woodcut to help decipher the map of our lives?
The Rosarium's first woodcut (above) was not only tacked on posts and doorways in European cities but it was found in the first few pages of the alchemical text. The 16th century layperson probably could not read the Latin found in the text nor in the image of this first woodcut. But the woodcut’s captions were always printed in the vernacular be it German or French. The riddle facing the European townsperson took as much contemplation today as it did in the 16th century. Are there any clues found in that riddle-caption and woodcut to help decipher the map of our lives?
The Rosarium woodcuts, like all alchemical imagery, are open
to multiple interpretations. Yet the Rosarium series with its 21 woodcuts
appears to tell a story. Story is important to concealing the process of
attaining the Philosopher’s Stone “from the unworthy.” The anonymous Rosarium
writers further state, “the Philosophers know that such matters ought to be
declared mystically, as poetry in the manner of a fable and parable.”[1]
Yet there are thousands of fables, parables and other
metaphor-filled fairy tales in the Western world alone. Do each of these tales
contain alchemical secrets pointing toward the evolution of our consciousness?
If not, how do we know which ones to pay close attention to? Such an
undertaking in deciphering may seem impossible. But the creators of the
celluloid version of The Wizard of Oz begin leaving a trail from the very first
frame - hints pointing to a secret path that could easily lead us out of
the confusing dark woods of life. And as one of Dorothy's best assistants once
counseled her, "It is always best to begin at the beginning."
In the beginning was the Word. Forty-eight words fill the title screen in
the opening of the 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz. This study of the movie
revolves around finding meaning in anomalies, in repetitions and in names given
characters and places as well as obvious symbols. Wondering begins as
written words float across the screen. This was a ‘talkie’ film and writing on
the screen was no longer necessary as silent films died 10 years earlier. So
the question arises whether these seeming innocuous words hold a special
significance.
In its entirety the movie’s title page reads:
“For nearly forty years this story has given faithful service to the Young in Heart; and Time has been powerless to put its kindly philosophy out of fashion.
To those who have been faithful to it in return … and to the Young in Heart --- we dedicate this picture.”
Simple. Straightforward. Sit back and enjoy a good picture. Yet items jump off the screen demanding attention. In keeping with our investigation of anomalies, the capitalization of ‘Time’ and ‘Young in Heart’ begs the question ‘why’. Neither is a person nor place in need of capitalization. Yet the two appear linked in the context of the dedication. While ‘Time’ comes away like an enemy rendered powerless after battle, those Young in Heart appear as the victor and their spoils the dedication, as royal ladies gave scarves to victors in a joust. But where is the battle in this movie?
A battle against the limitations of time and the search for immortality are two hallmarks in the quests undertaken by European alchemists. Although many desired to know the secrets in achieving immortality, dedication needed to be proved. Stories abound of wizened alchemists taking those interested in learning their secrets through many paces before starting them as an acolyte. A novice to this discipline needed a personal teacher as most printed alchemical texts were collections of Latin gibberish. In fact, the Arabic root for “gibberish” comes from Geber, a famous Persian alchemist.
Rewards for dedication are also bestowed to followers of Dorothy’s story. The Young in Heart and their "faithful service" appear obvious beneficiaries of gifts found in 40 years of reading the series of Oz books penned by L. Frank Baum. But Baum steers clear of any occult secrets, clearly stating in the introduction of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz that the book was written “solely to pleasure children of today”. However, the creators of the celluloid Dorothy appear to direct their story with a different aim.
The repetition of “faithful” in the movie’s title screen draws attention to one of the oddest notations found in cinematic history. The faithful would, at first glance, appear to be those who enjoy the tales of Dorothy and friends. But upon closer examination, it is the “kindly philosophy” that the faithful show dedication to. What is a philosophy doing in a children’s tale? There is no overt message of morality in the Oz stories, nor in the movie that follows. No treatises are put forth and proved. The closest we get to such a lesson is Dorothy’s final axiom, “There’s no place like home.” But an axiom is not the same as a philosophy.
Alchemical teachings placed great emphasis on never taking the familiar or commonplace for granted for in them can be found a treasure. Such is hinted in the caption of the Rosarium’s first woodcut. And so, with an alchemist’s inquisitive nature we investigate this first screen of the movie and we are struck by the description of its philosophy. In today's vernacular, the commonplace definition of “kindly” indicates a gracious or benevolent person. Yet an archaic definition of the same word points to a meaning quite different. In the times of European alchemy ‘kindly’ referred to “natural, native, innate” tendencies.” [2] An example of the arcane definition reads “innate ideas; in philosophy, ideas supposed to be inborn and to belong to the mind from birth, as the idea of God or of immortality.”
A philosophy steeped in immortality placed alchemy as heretical in the eyes of the Christian orthodox, no matter what century it would surface in Europe. And the religion of the 20th century, empirical science, held a similarly low opinion of alchemy and its quests. But one scientist, C.G.Jung, spent decades studying alchemical texts and imagery to validate his theories of achieving wholeness in the psyche. Although these theories appeared to oppose those promulgated by Sigmund Freud, Jung’s studies in alchemy constituted only part of the many contributions the great scientist and he remained second only to Freud in contributions to the infant-science of psychology.
In its entirety the movie’s title page reads:
“For nearly forty years this story has given faithful service to the Young in Heart; and Time has been powerless to put its kindly philosophy out of fashion.
To those who have been faithful to it in return … and to the Young in Heart --- we dedicate this picture.”
Simple. Straightforward. Sit back and enjoy a good picture. Yet items jump off the screen demanding attention. In keeping with our investigation of anomalies, the capitalization of ‘Time’ and ‘Young in Heart’ begs the question ‘why’. Neither is a person nor place in need of capitalization. Yet the two appear linked in the context of the dedication. While ‘Time’ comes away like an enemy rendered powerless after battle, those Young in Heart appear as the victor and their spoils the dedication, as royal ladies gave scarves to victors in a joust. But where is the battle in this movie?
A battle against the limitations of time and the search for immortality are two hallmarks in the quests undertaken by European alchemists. Although many desired to know the secrets in achieving immortality, dedication needed to be proved. Stories abound of wizened alchemists taking those interested in learning their secrets through many paces before starting them as an acolyte. A novice to this discipline needed a personal teacher as most printed alchemical texts were collections of Latin gibberish. In fact, the Arabic root for “gibberish” comes from Geber, a famous Persian alchemist.
Rewards for dedication are also bestowed to followers of Dorothy’s story. The Young in Heart and their "faithful service" appear obvious beneficiaries of gifts found in 40 years of reading the series of Oz books penned by L. Frank Baum. But Baum steers clear of any occult secrets, clearly stating in the introduction of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz that the book was written “solely to pleasure children of today”. However, the creators of the celluloid Dorothy appear to direct their story with a different aim.
The repetition of “faithful” in the movie’s title screen draws attention to one of the oddest notations found in cinematic history. The faithful would, at first glance, appear to be those who enjoy the tales of Dorothy and friends. But upon closer examination, it is the “kindly philosophy” that the faithful show dedication to. What is a philosophy doing in a children’s tale? There is no overt message of morality in the Oz stories, nor in the movie that follows. No treatises are put forth and proved. The closest we get to such a lesson is Dorothy’s final axiom, “There’s no place like home.” But an axiom is not the same as a philosophy.
Alchemical teachings placed great emphasis on never taking the familiar or commonplace for granted for in them can be found a treasure. Such is hinted in the caption of the Rosarium’s first woodcut. And so, with an alchemist’s inquisitive nature we investigate this first screen of the movie and we are struck by the description of its philosophy. In today's vernacular, the commonplace definition of “kindly” indicates a gracious or benevolent person. Yet an archaic definition of the same word points to a meaning quite different. In the times of European alchemy ‘kindly’ referred to “natural, native, innate” tendencies.” [2] An example of the arcane definition reads “innate ideas; in philosophy, ideas supposed to be inborn and to belong to the mind from birth, as the idea of God or of immortality.”
A philosophy steeped in immortality placed alchemy as heretical in the eyes of the Christian orthodox, no matter what century it would surface in Europe. And the religion of the 20th century, empirical science, held a similarly low opinion of alchemy and its quests. But one scientist, C.G.Jung, spent decades studying alchemical texts and imagery to validate his theories of achieving wholeness in the psyche. Although these theories appeared to oppose those promulgated by Sigmund Freud, Jung’s studies in alchemy constituted only part of the many contributions the great scientist and he remained second only to Freud in contributions to the infant-science of psychology.
In the
early 1940’s Jung expounded his findings on alchemy and the development of the
psyche in a seminal work, Pschology of the Transference, drawing heavily
on interpretations of the woodcuts found in the 1550 Rosarium Philosophorum.
A later work, the 1955 Mysterium Conjunctionis, also relied on the
Rosarium images. Belief that “alchemy did not merely change into chemistry…
[but] had always been a kind of mystic philosophy” [3] Jung
gave great credence to this occult study focused on “the union of opposites.”
But such high opinions and strong leanings on alchemy brought scorn from
scientists in many fields.
Yet the psychologist still had a following of disciples. The
scientist who would edit The Portable Jung was an anthropologist looking
for links among the world’s cultures and religions. Although disagreeing with
Jung on what could best explain those links, Joseph Campbell continued a strong
admiration for Jung throughout the anthropologist’s long and influential
career.
In chronicling cultures and connecting imagery from around the world, Campbell sought to find similarities between the religions of the West and the East. Campbell noted similarities between Western mystics’ writings, often considered heretical in the eyes of the orthodoxy, and those found in Eastern teachings. His success lead to a large following of readers, disillusioned with the restrictive ways of their native Western religions. These disillusioned seekers often became devotees of more inclusive Hinduism and Buddhism – philosophies steeped in the innate idea of an imminent divinity. These teachings rang true for thousands of Westerners brought up in religions exhorting a transcendent God only, one to be found “out there” but never within. The 1960’s brought with it revolutionary thought and questioning of authoritarian teachings. If God is to be found everywhere, one of the major tenets of Western monotheist religions, then why could God not be found within us?
However, many Eastern as well as Western spiritual leaders recommend seekers stay close to their religious roots instead of adopting religious beliefs set in foreign cultures and language. But where could a Westerner, whose heart felt drawn toward the Eastern teachings of finding a divinity within, find teachings to follow in their monotheistic culture?
In chronicling cultures and connecting imagery from around the world, Campbell sought to find similarities between the religions of the West and the East. Campbell noted similarities between Western mystics’ writings, often considered heretical in the eyes of the orthodoxy, and those found in Eastern teachings. His success lead to a large following of readers, disillusioned with the restrictive ways of their native Western religions. These disillusioned seekers often became devotees of more inclusive Hinduism and Buddhism – philosophies steeped in the innate idea of an imminent divinity. These teachings rang true for thousands of Westerners brought up in religions exhorting a transcendent God only, one to be found “out there” but never within. The 1960’s brought with it revolutionary thought and questioning of authoritarian teachings. If God is to be found everywhere, one of the major tenets of Western monotheist religions, then why could God not be found within us?
However, many Eastern as well as Western spiritual leaders recommend seekers stay close to their religious roots instead of adopting religious beliefs set in foreign cultures and language. But where could a Westerner, whose heart felt drawn toward the Eastern teachings of finding a divinity within, find teachings to follow in their monotheistic culture?
Campbell answered this predicament indirectly as he wrote of
not only Western mystics but also Gnostic writings. Emerging translations from
the 1945 discovery, the Nag Hammadi writings gave credence to Campbell's claim
of connections found between East and West. Campbell also pointed to the
writings and imagery found in European alchemy[4]
as further proof.
The idea of finding the divine within the human became ever
stronger and seekers hunted for additional teaching. Aldous Huxley’s 1945 book
provided not only a summarization of teachings found in both mainstream Eastern
and esoteric schools of thought from the West but also provided a
soon-to-be-popular term denoting these teachings – perennial philosophy.
Huxley’s definition for the perennial philosophy is:
The metaphysic (sic) that recognizes a divine reality substantial to the world of
things, lives and minds; the psychology that finds in the soul something similar to, or even identical with, divine Reality; and the ethic that places man’s final end in the knowledge of the immanent and transcendent Ground of all being." [5]
The metaphysic (sic) that recognizes a divine reality substantial to the world of
things, lives and minds; the psychology that finds in the soul something similar to, or even identical with, divine Reality; and the ethic that places man’s final end in the knowledge of the immanent and transcendent Ground of all being." [5]
Huxley also stated humans possess both a phenomenal ego and
an eternal self. The goal of life, union with the Ground of all being, is
achieved through identification with the eternal self. While such teachings,
Huxley noted, were openly imparted in the East while similar teachings in the
West, i.e. ancient Egypt, Greek were squelched. The Nicene Council of the
5th century CE squelched the teachings of the Gnostics.
Yet perennial philosophy continued to be passed down through Europe despite its heretical standing. Alchemists kept the unitized philosophy as their own, cloaking it beneath elaborate symbolism guaranteed not to be deciphered by anyone but the initiated. This secret, non-dualistic philosophy produced notables such as Albertus Magnus, teacher to great theologian, Thomas Aquinas. A contemporary of Aquinas, Roger Bacon, was also a well-known alchemist as well as philosopher. Commenting on the need for more than the theoretical to guide our lives, Bacon wrote “[we] must have experience and not simply reason.”
Yet perennial philosophy continued to be passed down through Europe despite its heretical standing. Alchemists kept the unitized philosophy as their own, cloaking it beneath elaborate symbolism guaranteed not to be deciphered by anyone but the initiated. This secret, non-dualistic philosophy produced notables such as Albertus Magnus, teacher to great theologian, Thomas Aquinas. A contemporary of Aquinas, Roger Bacon, was also a well-known alchemist as well as philosopher. Commenting on the need for more than the theoretical to guide our lives, Bacon wrote “[we] must have experience and not simply reason.”
First-hand experience provided the groundwork for physical
alchemy. Present day sciences such as chemistry owe their beginnings to
alchemists’ thorough and exacting work. Yet alchemy had another aim beyond the
much-publicized goal of turning lead into gold. Alchemy’s philosophical goal of
discovering the divine within also came from first-hand experience. Cryptic
imagery and nearly indiscernible Latin hid the secret findings of these
experiences. Alchemy’s secrets contain many levels of interpretations,
philosophical as well as physical. One of today’s foremost authorities on
alchemy, Adam McLean, chooses to base his interpretation of the Rosarium
Philosophorum “using terms of a spiritual alchemy.” [6]
A similar base of spiritual alchemy interpretation will be used here to chart
the Rosarium woodcuts and how they relate to Dorothy’s journey.
In Dorothy’s episodic fable many clues point to attainment of the much-coveted Philosophers Stone. But the opening shot reveals little as Dorothy and her dog, Toto, look behind to a danger threatening the small animal as they stand in the middle of a dusty road. The use of road as symbol will become a recurring metaphor throughout Dorothy’s story.
In Dorothy’s episodic fable many clues point to attainment of the much-coveted Philosophers Stone. But the opening shot reveals little as Dorothy and her dog, Toto, look behind to a danger threatening the small animal as they stand in the middle of a dusty road. The use of road as symbol will become a recurring metaphor throughout Dorothy’s story.
Dorothy is a poor girl as her satchel and clothing would
indicate. The 'poor' are also mentioned in the caption of the first Rosarium
woodcut. Both the poor and the rich receive help from a mysterious
substance. Yet the substance, paradoxically, is also “full of hurtful
poison.” The paradoxical captions as well as abstruse woodcut imagery were to
be meditated upon much like the beads of the rosary found in orthodox
Christianity of the 16th century. And in the resulting intuition arose possible
answers to the woodcut meanings.
The meanings found in the Rosarium’s elaborate first woodcut can be as varied as number of meditators. A three-spouted fountain pours into a pool ringed with the words Unum est Mercurius mineralis, Mercurius vegetabilis, Mercurius animalis. The three elements are also mentioned near the top of the woodcut. There is also a repetition of stars. A star is found at each corner of the smoke columns and one between a sun and a crescent moon. At this point, however, the most telling of the many symbols in the initial woodcut appears as two creatures facing in opposite directions. Of the many interpretations offered the opposing creatures could be seen as a dualistic start to the attainment of this heavily-guarded kindly philosophy of alchemy.
Likewise the woodcut's many stars could reflect the means early navigators used in finding their bearings at sea. Later use of such devices as astrolabes help both travelers on sea and land. Yet whether it is by sea or by land, the journey must begin somewhere. So it is with every human. We each begin our journey through life getting our bearings, learning the language, customs, and dictating rules of the dualistic world we were born into. So it is with Dorothy as she and Toto start their journey traveling down their dusty Kansas road.
The meanings found in the Rosarium’s elaborate first woodcut can be as varied as number of meditators. A three-spouted fountain pours into a pool ringed with the words Unum est Mercurius mineralis, Mercurius vegetabilis, Mercurius animalis. The three elements are also mentioned near the top of the woodcut. There is also a repetition of stars. A star is found at each corner of the smoke columns and one between a sun and a crescent moon. At this point, however, the most telling of the many symbols in the initial woodcut appears as two creatures facing in opposite directions. Of the many interpretations offered the opposing creatures could be seen as a dualistic start to the attainment of this heavily-guarded kindly philosophy of alchemy.
Likewise the woodcut's many stars could reflect the means early navigators used in finding their bearings at sea. Later use of such devices as astrolabes help both travelers on sea and land. Yet whether it is by sea or by land, the journey must begin somewhere. So it is with every human. We each begin our journey through life getting our bearings, learning the language, customs, and dictating rules of the dualistic world we were born into. So it is with Dorothy as she and Toto start their journey traveling down their dusty Kansas road.
Procrustean solution?
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